Farmers: Trump 'terrible for agriculture'

Politico ^ | 09/01/2015 | Bill Tomson

[GIdget2004]

Even before real-estate mogul Donald Trump called undocumented immigrants "rapists and murderers" who "have to go," California contractor Carlos Castañeda was having difficulty hiring enough workers to pick celery and squash.

Now Castañeda and others fear Trump's talk about erecting a "big beautiful wall" at the border and deporting millions could make it near impossible to find the guest workers they need, and who would obtain legal status under most comprehensive reforms bills.

"There are growers out there screaming for labor," said Castañeda, a farm labor contractor in San Luis Obispo County in central California. "The people who are coming in are doing the work that not a single American would like to do."

Trump's brash talk about stopping undocumented immigration has excited GOP primary voters, turbocharged his campaign and spurred similar get-tough pledges from several rivals, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Scott Walker. But the view from many conservative-leaning agricultural communities is disgust, bordering on dread. Farmers say the candidate’s pronouncements have exacerbated already difficult labor shortages and brought counterproductive political attention to issues they had hoped to resolve quietly in Congress through legislation overhauling the nation’s broken guest-worker program.

Many say they will do everything in their power to educate the public about why Trump’s positions jeopardize their livelihoods — and the nation’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Look dude, try to follow along in context. I was simply presenting the side of the argument that is NEVER EVER NEVER mentioned by so many in this debate. The points you made are made ad nauseum. I was just offering the idea of intellectual honesty.

Most reject it in this debate. The GOP E even more than the base, but many in the base do too.

[C. Edmund Wright]

you never hired have you?

Didn’t think so.

[C. Edmund Wright]

by the way jackass....I’ve said a thousand times to get rid of the gov benefits.....a thousand times.....

so your argument there is not a damned bit relevant to mine.

[C. Edmund Wright]

If i had to i would pick fruit. Otherwise,I don’t WANT to support people, who don’t WANT to work, with taxpayer money.

which is exactly what you are doing...far more to citizens and legal aliens than illegals. You swerved into the big truth - until we solve our welfare crisis, we'll have a labor crisis of one kind or another. Period.

[central_va]

It is you that is the hard head. I already presented facts that show that labor is a minuscule cost in processing lettuce for example, whether it is done by illegals or Americans; it adds very little to the retail market price. The savings using imported stoop labor is only pennies per head, savings that probably aren't passed on to the consumer anyway. OTH The taxpayer gets stuck with social bill.

I think you are a disingenuous Free Traitor™, but then again there are no other kind. So in the realm of intellectual honesty; you fail.

[central_va]

Saying fruit would double in price using decently paid Americans is Free Traitor™ fear hate speech venom. YOU CANNOT BACK UP THAT ASSERTION WITH ANY REAL DATA. It is how you FEEL about it, like most emo liberals that is all that counts, how you FEEL.

[central_va]

I use facts to support my arguments you use feelings. Case closed.

[central_va]

Do you know basic math? I think you mustbe math challenged.

[central_va]

Wipe the spittle off your face and calm down. It is after 12:00 PM so you can go ahead and get shnockered.

[skippyjonjones]

Guess we’ve had different experiences. Been in and out of the contractor game since 2000.

I’ve hired and fired plenty. No illegals though. Maybe you have more experience with that? Just going on what other contractors who do hire them tell me. They pay them shit and rotate them frequently because they can always find someone hungrier.

And they pay them cash. Juggling numbers isn’t so hard, even for a contractor.

[moehoward]

"Look dude, try to follow along in context. I was simply presenting the side of the argument that is NEVER EVER NEVER mentioned by so many in this debate. "

Huh….you mean the side that goes all wobbly over the mythical $10 head of lettuce ? That's what the left usually leads with.

Employers of Illegal labor are receiving a government subsidy in the form of welfare. IMHO, those enterprises should stand or fall on their own merits. That said, I have zero doubt that agriculture will always have access to migrant labor albeit regulated.

[orinoco]

Americans have done this kind of work in the past. Take away the free government monthly check and a pay check will look really good. Before the welfare state it was either go to work or starve.